


oh, to see without my eyes

by greeksalad



Series: ah yes, sapphics (avatar wlw week) [4]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Canon Compliant, Crack, Established Relationship, F/F, oblivious himbo korra, set post s2 pre s3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:56:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26263018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greeksalad/pseuds/greeksalad
Summary: “Korra,” Asami says slowly, like she’s explaining something to a child. “Lin and Kya are married.”Korra whips around so fast to stare at Asami, wide-eyed, that her neck cracks.“What?!”
Relationships: Korra & Kya II (Avatar), Lin Beifong/Kya II
Series: ah yes, sapphics (avatar wlw week) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1903480
Comments: 48
Kudos: 377





	oh, to see without my eyes

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: reunion
> 
> shoutout to the kyalin discord for helping me come up with ideas for what i’ve nicknamed the “dumbass korra au” y’all are v cool and sexc B)

It’s late in the evening when the sprawling silhouette of Republic City first appears on the horizon.

Korra’s surprised at the sudden feeling of _relief_ welling up in her chest at the sight. Somehow, Republic City has begun to feel more like a home to her in the small amount of time she’s lived here than the compound back in the South Pole ever did.

(Besides, after the events of the last month, she can’t say she’s too upset about leaving the South behind her.)

There’s a small, contented sigh from beside her, and Korra looks over at Kya, who’s got her forearms braced against the side of Oogi’s saddle, hair whipping around her face in the cool evening breeze.

“Spirits, I love this view,” Kya says dreamily, propping her chin on her hand and staring out at the city skyline, and Korra can’t help but agree. They’re now close enough to make out the tiny pinpricks of light from the thousands of streetlamps, like little golden stars. Even from this distance, Korra thinks she can just about make out the unmistakable shape of the pro-bending arena.

Despite Kya’s laid-back demeanour, Korra can’t help but notice the rhythmic, anxious tapping of her fingers against Oogi’s saddle. Now that she thinks about it, Kya’s been kinda weird the whole way here: fidgeting with the folds of her skirt, constantly changing her sitting position, staring out over the water with a faraway look in her eyes. Korra frowns. She’s known Kya for as long as she can remember, and it’s not like her to look so tense about _anything._

“You okay, Kya?” she asks, and Kya turns to meet her gaze, looking a little startled.

“What? Yeah, I’m fine! Nothing to worry about.” Kya stares back out over the water, and Korra _swears_ there’s a searching look in her eyes.

“Are you sure?” she asks tentatively, brows furrowing.

Kya huffs out a laugh. “ _Yes,_ Korra. Just… eager to be back, that’s all.”

Korra can’t help feeling like she’s missed something somewhere along the way, but there’s no time to question Kya further; Jinora’s letting out a shout, leaning off the side precariously at wave down at Air Temple Island as Oogi banks down towards one of the open courtyards. As they get closer, Korra sees what’s got Jinora so excited. Five figures, rapidly growing in size as they fly closer, are standing at the edge of the courtyard. Korra squints a little, then nearly topples off of Oogi as she waves excitedly, because _that’s Asami, Bolin and Mako!_

She hasn’t seen her friends since they’d departed the South a week ago. Korra had still been bogged down with meetings and planning sessions after the events of her fight with Vaatu, and so Kya, Tenzin and (with Tenzin’s reluctant permission) Jinora had decided to stay with her until she was free to follow suit. Without her friends around for advice and emotional support cuddle piles, that week had felt like a whole month.

Needless to say, Korra’s _delighted_ to see them again.

Standing next to her friends are Pema and, to her surprise, _Lin_ , who looks as grumpy and standoffish as usual.

(Korra’s too focused on her friends to notice, but Kya breaks out in a huge, dorky smile at the sight.)

Oogi’s barely come to a halt before Korra’s leaping down from the saddle. Before she can even take a step, however, a flash of swirling skirts and silver hair streaks past her. Startled, Korra watches as Kya, in a genuinely impressive display of athleticism for an old woman, practically sprints across the tiles towards the group.

She has just enough time to think, _Damn, I knew her and Pema were friendly but I didn’t know they were_ that _close,_ before Kya runs _past_ Pema and launches herself at _Lin Beifong,_ of all people.

Korra watches in shock as Lin stumbles back a step, hands coming up to support Kya’s weight with an easy familiarity, then – and this is the most unbelievable part of all – she _smiles:_ a proper, full thing, with crinkles appearing at the edges of her eyes and lips parted around a laugh.

Korra’s so dumbfounded, completely frozen in disbelief, that she doesn’t even register Bolin’s giant bear hug for a solid two seconds. Numbly, she pats Bolin’s back, staring over his shoulder at Kya and Lin. Kya’s still got her legs looped around Lin’s waist, and, even though Korra can’t see her face, she’s clearly said something cheeky, because Lin’s gaping at her in mock-offense, and _wow, she’s actually_ laughing. _I just saw Chief Crankypants LAUGH._

“What is… _that…_ ” Korra asks, flapping a hand towards them.

Mako frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Like, why are they _hugging?_ Why is Lin _letting her?_ I tried to pat Lin’s shoulder once and she straight-up _growled_ at me.”

Now all three of them are looking at her like she’s stupid. “Korra,” Asami says slowly, like she’s explaining something to a child. “Lin and Kya are married.”

Korra whips around so fast to stare at Asami, wide-eyed, that her neck cracks. “ _What?!”_

“They’ve been together for twenty years. Kya literally has a betrothal necklace,” Asami says, looking like she’s trying desperately to stop herself from laughing. “What did you think that was, a style choice?”

Korra looks back at the two women. As if on cue, Kya leans in and kisses Lin deeply, one hand gently cradling her jaw.

“Korra, we went to the Chief’s house together once. There’s a framed wedding photo on the wall,” Mako says incredulously. “I even pointed it out to you.”

“I thought they were just at a fancy party,” Korra says helplessly.

“Kya was _kissing her cheek.”_

“…just as friends?”

Asami looks like she’s about to burst a blood vessel from holding in her laughter.

Bolin pats Korra sympathetically on the back. “If it helps, I only found out a few months ago.”

Korra buries her face in her hands. _I can’t believe I’m more oblivious than Bolin._

“Was their relationship really that obvious?” she asks desperately.

Asami, Bolin and Mako give her pitying looks.

“Yeah,” they say synchronously. 


End file.
